This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for handling packed layers of support rods in an electrolytic refining plant and, more particularly, to such methods and apparatus wherein groups of support rods are delivered to a magazine for distributing the support rods singly to each seed plate.
In electrolytic refining plants such, as electrolytic copper refining plants, the support rods of the cathode plates normally circulate within the refining plant. More particularly, after the cathode plates have grown sufficiently thick during the refining process as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the plates are removed from the tanks whereupon the support rods therefor are detached with new seed plates being suspended from the same support rods.
German Pat. No. 1,188,299 and Finnish Pat. No. 46 266 disclose procedures and apparatus for mechanizing the manufacturing of the cathode plates. More particularly, in the method disclosed in German Pat. No. 1,188,299, the support rods are manually handled during such manufacture while in the method disclosed in Finnish Pat. No. 46 266, the seed plate manufacturing line and the cathode plate dismounting line are necessarily located parallel to each other in side by side relationship. Further, the spacing between the seed plate manufacturing line and the cathode plate dismounting line is necessarily quite close and, consequently, the apparatus and equipment of the refining plant must be located in a precisely and rigidly specified manner and, additionally, the space requirements in such refining plants are necessarily high.
In applicants' U.S. patent application Ser. No. 111,641 filed simultaneously herewith, a method and apparatus are disclosed for handling support rods in an electrolytic refining plant which are detached from the cathode plates. In the method disclosed therein, the support rods which are detached from the cathode plates are transported in the longitudinal direction on a longitudinally extending transport track to a support rod grouping station where the support rods are arranged to form a group of support rods of a predetermined size. Such arrangement is accomplished by moving the support rods at the grouping station in a transverse direction so that a side by side closely packed relationship is obtained. Each group of support rods is then packed in a transporting and storage crate, each group constituting a layer of support rods therein.
Significant advantages are obtained utilizing this method. For example, the mutual location of the seed plate manufacturing machine, the cathode plate dismounting machine and the electrolysis tank hall can be varied within relatively wide limits so that efficient utilization of transporting equipment, cranes as well as available space can be obtained, especially in the case where older refining plants are being modernized. Secondly, the storage of the support rods which is necessary in order to correspond with the running speed of the machine is accomplished with the aid of the transporting and storing crates with a remarkably low cost and high space economy. Further, the work involved in piling the supporting rods which conventionally required strenuous manual labor, is virtually eliminated and apart from the operators in charge of the hoisting and transporting means, only supervisory personnel are required in the practice of the method.